• Consumers reactions to the 2006 health insurance reforms
• New government healthcare plans

Consumers reactions to the 2006 health insurance reforms

In 2006 the consumer care office De Nederlandse Patiënten Consumenten Federatie (NPCF) - The Dutch Patients and consumers Federation - received around 3500 complaints.

The office, which was set up to register problems in the healthcare system, registered more than 1500 complaints concerning financial issues, mainly about insurers not paying bills on time, and giving permission for refunds for particular types of health care.

Permissions not clear

The NPCF has placed insurance companies permissions policies "high on the agenda" of things to fix. The federation wants Insurers to adjust their policies to give patients clear information.

There were also complaints about how expensive the new health system had become, with high hospital bills and non return of the "no claims" bonus for chronically sick patients.
 
Double costs in translation

Around 700 complaints were about health insurance companies and the problems associated with changing company. Many people said they had to pay double costs, without being told who their new insurer would be, during the transition period.

Finally there were 350 complaints and questions about the health insurance companies, which included not being taken seriously, the wrong treatment covered, or about simply being impossible to reach. The most common complaint was not being able to change doctor.
 
Financially worse off

De NPCF also held a survey with members of the unions and employers federations. Of the 10,000 people surveyed, 60 to 80 percent said they were worse off financially, with the new health system.

Also this month, Democrat Party (CDA), Labour Party (PvdA), and the Christen Unie, under the banner of motto "Work together, live together" presented their plans for healthcare in the Netherlands over the next four years.

Here is a roundup of the points.

Prevention

• Lower healthcare costs, and reduce differences in life expectancy, between the social groups.

• Develop new forms of health Insurance, which are targeted at a healthy and preventative standard of living.

• Involve schools and social organisations more in disease prevention, for instance through distributions such as information on diet, and encouraging sports activity.

• There will be a ban on the advertising of alcohol on TV and Radio before 21.00.

• Pubs and restaurants must be smoke free by 2011. [23 February newsflash: New Public Health Minister Ab Klink is aiming to introduce a smoking ban in restaurants, cafes and night clubs within a year.]

Health insurance

• The no-claims bonus will be abolished from the 1 January 2008, and replaced by an own-risk insurance. An exception will made for chronically sick and handicapped patients.
• (It is not yet known what form this will take).

• The pill and the yearly dental check will be included again in the basic health insurance packet.

• The health care subsidy will be raised, and can on free will-basis, be subtracted from the monthly healthcare bill.

• A drive will be organised to reduce the number of uninsured citizens, and people who do not pay their health care bills.

Hospitals

• DBC-System (Diagnostic treatment combination) will be simplified.

• Fast implementation of electronic patient files (by 2009) and the electronic medication files.

Nursing and nursing homes

• Extra money will be put into nursing homes.

• The exceptional medical costs system AWBZ is not open to commercial competition.

Medical ethics

• The 'consideration' time of 5 days remains in abortion cases, but can be increased to the 16th day.

[In the Netherlands, abortion is allowed on demand at any point between conception and viability, subject to counselling and a five-day waiting period.

However, as the abortion rate is already low in the Netherlands, there has been criticism that this is putting more pressure on women. As an Arnhem doctor who told the Volkskrant this month: "I think it is condescending to tell women they have to wait. Considering the decision is a good thing, but some women don’t need that much time. If it is very early on in the pregnancy the medical procedure is simple in fact. That should be taken into consideration."]

• The Government is also introducing positive measures, aimed at alternatives to abortion, such as increasing the possibilities of adoption, and support for teenage mothers.
• Better sex education, especially for foreign children, to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
• The euthanasia law remains unchanged.

[Euthanasia has been legal in the Netherlands since April 2002, allowing assisted suicides if the patient officially requests to die, is suffering from extreme pain or a terminal illness and a second medical opinion has been sought. The Netherlands was the first nation to legalise euthanasia.]

• There will be investment in palliative care: any form of medical care or treatment that concentrates on reducing the severity of disease symptoms or slowing the disease's progress, rather than providing a cure.
• The ban on the use of embryos remains in place. Research with (adult) stem cells will be "strongly encouraged".

Latest healthcare-related news

In the news today newspaper De Pers described the new cannabis policy as 'hypocritical', saying that stricter policies against soft drugs will not only lead to more crime, but will also increase the health risks to users, ten mayors representing large municipalities wrote in a collective letter to the new cabinet.

Plus newspaper the Trouw reported that a new card game had been introduced for nurses, aimed at making visiting nursing personnel better acquainted with religion(s). This should help improve their understanding of patients.

23 February
Research results from the Dutch Federation for Cancer Patient Organisations (NKF) show that cancer patients do not always get the newest and best medicines. Limited in their budgets, hospitals often choose for cheaper, less effective medicines,   

16 February 2007

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[Copyright Expatica 2007]